


Make the Face of Heaven So Fine

by orphan_account



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Lesbian AU, Or Is It?, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:34:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24354403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Gigi Goode has loved the stars since the early stages of her adolescence, which is as long as she's been in love with Crystal Methyd. Unfortunately, a curse wrought from that love manifests, and she begins to feel the jarring pain of beautiful stars sliding down her cheeks.
Relationships: Gigi Goode/Crystal Methyd
Comments: 12
Kudos: 58





	Make the Face of Heaven So Fine

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by [this thread on twitter](https://twitter.com/rchimedesu/status/1246209687609061377?s=20), and the title is from _Romeo and Juliet_ by William Shakespeare. This is my first time writing a Crygi fic and my first time writing for this fandom at all, but I hope you enjoy!

> “When he shall die,  
>  Take him and cut him out in little stars,  
>  And he will make the face of heaven so fine  
>  That all the world will be in love with night  
>  And pay no worship to the garish sun.” —William Shakespeare, _Romeo and Juliet_

* * *

The stars had always piqued Gigi's curiosity. She could never pinpoint what exactly it was that intrigued her, but nevertheless, no one could argue with her claims that the stars were beautiful. However, perhaps her admiration of the stars could be traced back to her childhood, when she was only twelve and had just caught a glimpse of who she came to know as Crystal Methyd.

Gigi's family had just moved into Crystal's neighborhood, and their houses were positioned right next to each other. Almost immediately after their arrival, Gigi's family was invited to dinner at the Methyd household, and while Gigi preferred to just stay in the house and wonder how her friends were doing, she decided to accompany her parents.

It wasn't that they forced her to attend, though. Gigi's parents were kind, understanding people, and they supported her every move. Their actions and such were endearing, and they were also largely the reason why she agreed to come with them: she feared that they would not fit into the neighborhood if they refused someone's invitation.

She wouldn't call her friends cruel, but back at her former home, she had once denied them permission to use her house for a party. Afterward, they didn't talk to her for a week. (Gigi didn't have a strong grasp on social cues and such back then, but she knew that one mistake would cost you your reputation. Unfortunately, she wasn't sure which was worse: the humiliation she experienced after curious eyes peered at her everywhere she went, or the shame she felt when she relented the second time she was asked and betrayed her parents' trust.)

These kids were only twelve years old, and Gigi had a horrible feeling that people grew worse as they got older. They hadn't done anything illegal during their parties, other than maybe touching objects they weren't supposed to touch, but who knows? Everything started out small in the world, anyway.

Gigi could have thought about these things forever, but as the night approached, she allowed herself to forget about them first.

Before they left for dinner, she tried her best to adorn her best facade, steeling herself. She plastered a smile on her face that obviously looked fake, but the important thing was that it was there. Embarrassing her parents and appearing to be disrespectful was not an option.

However, once they arrived, pretending proved to be increasingly difficult. They were welcomed inside with a surprising amount of hospitality, and Gigi allowed herself to relax for a bit. As soon as they entered the house, they were given a brief tour of the places they passed by as they approached the dining room, and Gigi began to acknowledge that perhaps they were genuinely kind people after all.

Just as she was about to let her guard down, the Methyds mentioned that they had a daughter her age, and she began to tense up. Her eyes darted around the room, and she was suddenly back at her old school, taunted and laughed at for not completely following social standards. She wondered what their daughter's personality was like: was she anything similar to her friends back at her former home, or was she different, somehow _worse?_ Thoughts raced across her mind, and she searched her surroundings.

When her gaze landed on Crystal, it never left.

Crystal talked about anything and everything. During dinner, while the adults were absorbed in their own conversations, she spoke about birds and rainbows and other random things that caused fits of uncontrollable giggles to escape from Gigi. When silence returned, even just for a little bit, Gigi couldn't help but think about how much she missed hearing her speak. The silence between them would often stretch out for only two minutes at most, most of which were spent with Crystal looking at Gigi expectantly, but after it was filled in again, it felt like discovering an oasis in the middle of a desert.

It wasn't long before they had all finished eating and Gigi began to prepare to leave for home immediately like she and her parents had originally planned, but a tug on her blouse caught her attention.

She turned, and it was Crystal, as adorable as she had been all evening. Crystal was radiant, and she had not displayed the slightest tinge of hesitation during their conversations, but her demeanor seemed to shift into something more... timid.

Gigi raised an eyebrow. She hadn't meant to scare her away, but Crystal's hold on her blouse faltered, and she seemed to be even more nervous than she was a few seconds ago. Gigi cursed all the moments she had spent looking like a bitch, _acting_ like a bitch, because none of it seemed worth it now, not when it diminished the brilliance that Crystal exhibited.

"Um," she cleared her throat, "sorry, it's just... I'm probably bothering you, but would you mind staying for just a bit longer? I'd love to show you something."

Gigi blinked. She glanced at her parents and noticed the way their belongings were carelessly scattered around. Shifting her gaze, she made eye contact with them, and without a single word, she understood that they were urging her on. And, regardless of whether or not she agreed to come with Crystal, they wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

If that were the case, she supposed she didn't have much of a choice.

"Yeah, sure."

Crystal's smile returned, and Gigi couldn't resist smiling herself.

Crystal led her upstairs, and for a moment, Gigi thought their destination was her bedroom. Apparently, it was not, and they continued on their journey until they reached the roof.

"Uh, Crystal? Are you serious?" Gigi stared at her incredulously, but instead of an explanation like she had hoped, Crystal only laughed and stretched out her hand. It was an adorable laugh, one that Gigi yearned to hear more, and in spite of herself, she accepted the hand and allowed herself to be pulled up.

The sight she witnessed afterward was incomparable to anything she had ever seen before.

It was a sky filled with stars, and that was something no one ever saw in the bustling cities. People wished for a chance to fulfill their dreams in those cities, but as Gigi marveled at everything before her, she wondered why anyone would ever want to go far from here, when there was such a sight to behold.

Beside her, she could hear movement, and she turned her head to see Crystal lying down. Crystal looked at her and winked, and Gigi could feel her cheeks heating up, and she hoped that the darkness concealed it well.

After debating with herself, Gigi decided to position herself beside Crystal. They simply stayed there, gazing at the stars, and Gigi allowed her mind to wander.

She thought about various topics: her parents, the new life they would have here, the way she would have to build her reputation from scratch... But, eventually, all her attention focused on one person: none other than Crystal Methyd, who layed silently beside her.

Considering all the words that just flew right out of Crystal's mouth during dinner, Gigi figured she would begin to continue their conversations here, and this time, she would not only be more attentive, but would contribute as well. She would share parts of herself, not only because it was fair, but because... she felt safe, somehow. She had never felt safe revealing her true self to her friends, but with Crystal, it was different.

However, Crystal did not seem intent on doing that. Instead, she simply watched the stars with a soft smile on her face, and Gigi found herself looking at her instead of the sky.

Crystal's gaze flitted over to Gigi, and when their eyes met, she visibly appeared taken aback. She relaxed quickly and turned to her side, and Gigi did the same, and their faces were now inches apart. Gigi never let anyone get that close to her, hiding herself in a cloak of counterfeit confidence, but she felt as though she could be vulnerable with Crystal. It was strange and she should probably be more careful, but something told her to trust her gut for once.

That didn't mean she wasn't nervous, though.

"Isn't it dangerous here?" she asked. Her voice came out soft and tentative, and Crystal's smile grew wider. Unless Gigi was hallucinating, Crystal almost looked like she was gazing at her in adoration.

"Well, you should've considered that before you agreed to come up here," she replied, grinning. Gigi rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face was still a display of genuine happiness.

"You weren't exactly answering my questions."

"You didn't ask anything."

"I asked if you were serious!"

"That was _one_ question, and I answered it by giving you my hand!"

Gigi laughed, lightly poking Crystal's stomach. Crystal jerked backward and held it, pretending to cry out in pain, and Gigi couldn't help but laugh even louder.

"Ugh, you're such a drama queen!"

"Well, I'm not the one who was sulking for like, half the time she's been here."

Gigi froze. The only thing she could feel and hear at that point was the beating of her own heart, and she frowned, knitting her eyebrows together.

Crystal had been chuckling, but at the sight of Gigi's expression darkening, she stopped. She looked afraid now, and it almost calmed Gigi down enough for her to ask if she was okay, until she remembered what had gotten herself into the state she was now in.

"How did you— Wait— _You could tell I was pretending?_ "

Crystal shifted backward, and the distance that now separated them seemed like a tangible barrier, one that made sure neither side could reach the other. It left a bitter taste in Gigi's mouth and she couldn't force herself to speak, waiting instead for Crystal's reply.

"I-I'm sorry," she sniffled. Was... was she crying? She quickly wiped at her eyes and no visible tears dropped onto the ground, but Gigi knew that she was not imagining things. "I didn't think you'd take it so personally, I... I didn't think it was a personal thing. I was just... I was trying to make you feel welcome, that's all."

Gigi searched for a million things to say, sentences and phrases, even indecipherable words. Instead, the only thing that came out of her mouth was, "Why?"

Crystal was sitting up now. Under the light of the moon and the stars above them, she almost seemed to glow, untouchable and sacred. Gigi felt as though she had just committed the worst mistake of her life and on top of that, she also felt as though she should leave the town and never return, subjecting herself to a life filled with pretending.

"I get it," Crystal began, her voice softer than a whisper. "I'm honestly a shy person myself. It takes time to really get to know me and break down all my walls, but then I met you, and you seemed different. Like... Like you'd understand. I thought I'd take a chance for once and push down my anxiety and talk about the most random things, so that you'd relax, so that you'd..."

She tried to choke down a sob and complete her sentence, but she failed, and soon enough she was crying into her hands. At the sight before her, Gigi felt as though she had just been awakened into reality, and before she could even really think things through, she wrapped her arms around Crystal.

Crystal leaned into her as soon as they came into contact with each other. She sobbed into her blouse and Gigi was certain she would have to clean all of the snot out of it later, but that was far from her current concern. She held Crystal tighter in her grasp, and Crystal reciprocated.

After a while, Crystal began to relax. She pulled away and Gigi loosened her grasp, and when she saw Crystal's pain-ridden face, she began to feel like crying herself.

She was a master at pretending, though, and she shoved her tears into a place where they would never see the light of day.

"I'm sorry," she said, running her fingers through Crystal's hair and chuckling softly at the way Crystal leaned into her touch. "You're right. I pretend. A lot. I've always felt like I had to, I guess... Well, not felt. I _really_ had to. But now..."

Crystal tilted her head at Gigi's sudden silence. Gigi already knew what she was going to say, but nevertheless, she glanced at the stars before her first, gazing in wonder at their beauty.

When she looked right back into Crystal's eyes, she saw no difference.

"But now I guess I don't have to pretend anymore. At least not with a detective like you around, anyway."

Crystal giggled and surged forward, enveloping Gigi in an embrace, and Gigi basked in her warmth.

* * *

The realization came years later, when Gigi was already too late.

They were hanging out in Gigi's room, a departure from the usual. Visitors were currently being given a tour of the Methyd household, and Crystal didn't want to risk embarrassing her parents. She and Gigi never usually did anything too crazy, but still. (Emphasis on usually.)

"Can you _believe_ we're juniors now?" Crystal asked. She was lying down on her stomach, swinging her legs back and forth. They obscured Gigi's peripheral vision, but she was accustomed to Crystal's antics, so she didn't stop them like she used to. At least they didn't accidentally whack her in the face like they occasionally had before, during which case Gigi would probably tackle her into a tickle fight. (She would never harm Crystal in any way, anyway. She wouldn't.)

"Uh-huh," Gigi said, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone. "What about it?"

"Well..." Crystal looked back at her, grinning in that devilish manner she usually did when she was up to something. It spelled trouble, but it was enticing nevertheless, and without having even been told to do so, Gigi joined Crystal at the foot of the bed.

"Look!" Crystal shoved her phone into Gigi's face. Gigi scrunched up her facial features in a manner she knew always made Crystal laugh, and it did, and she would have joined her—if she didn't realize whose picture was displayed on Crystal's phone.

It was one of those guys Gigi never bothered to get to know, but she recognized him conversing with Crystal sometimes. Whenever they talked, she would speak with such tantalizing glee, seemingly with hidden intent behind her eyes, wishing to be freed...

Gigi swallowed her fears and asked, "Who's that?"

"Oh, nobody," Crystal hummed. "Just my boyfriend, that's all."

Gigi froze. Her eyes began to hurt and she tried to blink away the pain, blink away the _tears_ —but she was failing. Clearing her throat, she turned away, hoping to cover her face.

"That's great, Crystal. I'm happy for you."

She sounded more solemn than she had intended, but Crystal didn't seem to catch it. She suddenly jumped off the bed, squealing in delight, and Gigi didn't have to look to know that she was scrambling to get all of her stuff in order to leave.

"He just messaged me! Said he wants to take me out on a date. Sorry for leaving so early, but you understand, right?"

Gigi struggled to keep her tears from falling down. When had that become so _hard?_ She couldn't face Crystal now, but if she didn't answer, she would run the risk of being caught even more—so, despite her trembling lips, she replied, "Yeah."

Crystal didn't even give her a hug before she left.

Gigi knew she should probably be relieved, but the lack of an embrace from the person that mattered most to her seemed to worsen the pain. She rushed to the bathroom, gripping the opposite sides of the sink, breathing heavily as she gazed at herself in the mirror.

At that moment, she blinked.

At that moment, her vision grew hazy.

Slowly, with the sound of a charming twinkle, the kind that you would hear from Crystal's chuckle, something slid down her cheek. It was not a tear—no, it _seemed_ like one, but it was far from it. In fact, it held a frightening resemblance to the stars she and Crystal would often gaze at, reaching for them with hopes and dreams they aimed to fulfill.

Now, as it flew down, this whole ordeal seemed like torture. Such a beautiful thing was the reason for her pain. She was filled with unbearable anguish, enough for her to bite down on her lip until it began to bleed, all in order for her not to scream. Finally, it fell off of her chin and dropped onto the sink, leaving a sparkle that seemed to taunt her.

That was just the beginning of it.

Every single day, Crystal would choose her boyfriend over her. No—Crystal would ask if it was alright for her to spend time with her boyfriend instead of her best friend, as though Gigi's happiness mattered over hers. Of course, Gigi would always give the affirmative, no matter how blurry her vision would get, no matter how much her eyes would be afflicted with indescribable torment.

It was downright cruel, how each star seemed to mock her. She had always imagined herself belonging with the stars, shining high above the rest, and she strived to truly become that person in reality because she believed it was what she deserved.

Now, however, as each star left her in the form of a tear, it seemed to symbolize each of her dreams disappearing from her grasp. She attempted to think of them as shooting stars, falling down from the sky and granting people wishes, but when the stars began to scrape her cheeks on the way down, she couldn't bring herself to think positively.

Worst of all, once they dropped, there was no sign that the stars had dug into her skin. It was curious, and she began to think: what brought on all of this in the first place? What did she do to deserve this?

The next day at school, she found her answer.

Crystal was now spending most of her time with her boyfriend. Gigi barely even saw her anymore, which was strange, but she never questioned it. She convinced herself that she was alright with it, since in the first place, she was the one who had given her consent for Crystal to be with her boyfriend at any given time of the day.

She just hadn't expected to see them kissing in the hallway, that was all.

The moment she saw them, tears—no, _stars_ began to build up once again, and unlike the first time they appeared, they now scratched at her eyes and begged to be released. She didn't argue at all and rushed to the nearest restroom, checked if anyone was around and at the confirmation that no one else was there, she allowed everything to fall.

This time, the tears did not show the typical twinkling sound that they usually did whenever they fell. It sounded more like a meteorite falling onto the earth and causing nothing but destruction, and it was fitting.

She sighed, gazing at herself in the mirror.

She looked like a mess.

Worst of all, she was in love with her best friend.

* * *

It took some time for Gigi to understand what was happening, but when she did, the only thing missing from her knowledge was how to stop it.

She knew with absolute certainty that she was in love with Crystal Methyd, long before she even realized it. Perhaps it was when they first met, or maybe during all the moments they spent afterward, but that wasn't important. All she wanted was for the pain to end, and she'd do it using any means necessary.

One day, Crystal had finally decided to take a break from her boyfriend and invited Gigi to come over to her place, just like old times. They agreed to meet up at night, climb over to the roof, and gaze at the stars. It used to be their ritual, and Gigi missed it more than anything in the world. She was happy to know that Crystal missed it too.

Gigi knew that she was taking such a huge risk, being near Crystal at such a close proximity—but she couldn't resist. She missed hanging out with her, she missed talking about random things that didn't even matter in the grand scheme of things with her; she just missed _her._ And nothing, not even stars that were beginning to take her vision away, would stop her.

When she arrived, she was welcomed in by Crystal. Her parents weren't home, which was a bit odd, but Gigi didn't question it.

Together, they clambered up to the roof. Gigi had grown more skilled at getting herself up there through the years but still required some assistance now and then, and Crystal was always more than happy to lend a hand.

Eventually, both were positioned just as they always were: side by side, close enough to lean into each other. Crystal did exactly that, even intertwining their fingers together, and Gigi couldn't think of anything except how beautiful she was.

Crystal suddenly turned to look her right in the eye, and Gigi thought of another thing: _how much she wanted to kiss her._

It was an absurd thought, of course, but... was Crystal leaning in? Her eyes were beginning to flutter shut and Gigi couldn't resist. At this point, because of all the stars that had poured out of her eyes, she could barely see, but for some reason, she could see all the tiny details on Crystal's face: the way one side of her mouth twitched upward, that moustache she told her to shave months ago, _everything._ Everything was too good to be true—

Gigi really should have known better.

Crystal's phone began to ring, and she quickly backed away from Gigi. Gigi felt a chilling breeze wash over her as soon as she no longer felt Crystal's warmth and she sat up, gazing inquisitively at Crystal.

Crystal looked at who had called her, and a mix of indecipherable emotions appeared on her face. "It's my boyfriend."

_Oh._

Right.

Crystal had a boyfriend, and she would never love Gigi back. Not in a million lifetimes, and certainly not in this one.

At that thought, the star tears began to return, and Gigi scrambled to get off of the roof. Crystal followed her, calling for her to come back, and Gigi used all the strength she had at her disposal to sprint all the way to the bathroom.

Once she arrived, she moved to slam the door shut, but she was too slow. Crystal forced the door open, and as much as Gigi tried to close it, all of her effort was in vain. Crystal was determined, far more than Gigi had ever seen her, and Gigi would have been enchanted—if she didn't feel her strength begin to slip away from her.

Gigi's vision grew hazy. Her grip on the door loosened until her hand fell off entirely, and she stumbled, falling backward. Crystal caught her just in time and slowly laid her down on the floor, shaking her, calling out her name, but Gigi could barely make anything out.

The last thing she saw before she blinked and allowed her secret to be revealed was a tear falling down Crystal's cheek, one that looked suspiciously like a star.

_Wait._

Gigi's eyes shot open and she quickly sat up, leaning in to take a closer look. She was right. It _was_ a star tear, exactly the same kind that had been tormenting her. She had always regarded it as a despicable thing, but now, as she gazed at it with the same amount of shock as Crystal, it glowed with warmth that resembled hope.

"Crystal, what does this mean?" Gigi asked, praying to the stars above that the hope flourishing inside of her would not be squashed immediately.

Crystal took in a deep breath and released it shakily. She was crying now and so was Gigi, if the way her cheeks felt damp was any indication. They were normal tears, and everything seemed to be alright again in the world.

"It means that I love you," she whispered, and nothing else needed to be said. Gigi leaned in and their lips met, and she was filled with such inexplicable joy that she just wanted to scream at the top of her lungs.

Of course, happiness never lasted forever, and remembering something caused Gigi's joy to now be tainted by confusion. She pulled away, and Crystal tilted her head.

"Just, uh, to get this out of the way," Gigi cleared her throat. "What about your boyfriend?"

"Oh, uh, that was..." Crystal's cheeks flushed bright red. "I was trying to avoid you."

Gigi blinked. "Oh."

"Yeah," Crystal laughed nervously. "I started having those star tear things and I didn't want you to know about them and—"

Gigi didn't need any more explanations. She leaned in once again, softly pressing her lips against Crystal's.

Gigi was wrong. The stars were not tormenting her, nor were they tormenting Crystal. They were simply fulfilling their wish in the most unconventional way possible, and despite all of the pain it caused, Gigi didn't think she could possibly be anything but grateful and happy right now.

After a while, once they were both out of breath, they pulled away slightly, their foreheads still connected.

"I love you," Gigi whispered.

Crystal smiled, and she looked just as radiant as when Gigi first saw her.

"I love you too."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and tell me what you think. :)


End file.
